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Daniel Ricciardo wins F1 Hungarian Grand Prix

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY—Daniel Ricciardo overtook Fernando Alonso late to win Sunday’s thrilling Hungarian Grand Prix, his second career Formula One victory — both this season.

Lewis Hamilton, who started from pit lane after his engine caught fire during qualifying, finished third, holding off Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, who started from pole position.

Ricciardo, an Australian competing in his fourth F1 season, made three pits stops — compared to just two for Alonso and Hamilton — and his newer set of tires paid off in the end as he surged past the leaders with three laps to go.

“We had the fresher tires, but I knew it was going to be an exciting finish,” Ricciardo said. “That was a lot of fun, the last few laps.

“I am definitely going to celebrate tonight, party for a few days and enjoy a few days off.”

Daniel Ricciardo celebrates after his second career Formula One victory in Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix. (Lars Baron / GETTY IMAGES)

Red Bull’s Ricciardo won the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal in June and is the only non-Mercedes driver to win this year.

Rosberg still leads the championship race with 202 points, followed by Hamilton with 191 and Ricciardo with 131. In the constructors’ standings, Mercedes has 393 points, Red Bull 219.

Mercedes told Hamilton to let Rosberg pass as the race was winding down, but Hamilton said he saw no reason to obey team orders considering his good position at the time.

“I was very, very shocked that the team would ask me to do that,” Hamilton said. Rosberg “did get close enough to overtake, but I was never going to lift off and lose ground to Fernando or Daniel to enable him to have a good race. That was a bit strange.”

Hamilton also started from pit lane at last week’s German Grand Prix and moved up to finish third. He had won the last two races in Hungary and was looking for his fifth win on the twisting, relatively slow Hungaroring.

“It was an interesting beginning of the race and I’m very grateful I got through,” Hamilton said.

For Rosberg, fourth place on the Hungaroring was his worst result of the season, though it equalled his best effort on this track. Except for dropping out of the British Grand Prix in Silverstone with gearbox problems, he had finished first or second in every other race.

Alonso, the only driver to score points at every race so far this season, was pleased to get back on the podium. He was also third at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai in April.

A rain shower just before the start made conditions difficult early on. Several drivers crashed, including Sebastien Grosjean, Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez, and the safety car made two appearances, altering race strategy.

The championship continues after a summer break with the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps on Aug. 24.

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